Hosing off. Playing in the water, feels mighty fine

Time to dry off

Twist n shout!

Almost dry

Sitting pretty

While Jordanne is hard at work making upgrades  (looking good btw!) on our blog, here's a little pictorial interlude for your enjoyment of one of the many hummingbirds to visit the garden each morning.

This time around, I was prepared and had a camera ready for the action!  While watering the garden, they enjoy a fresh drink and morning bath from the hose.

From what I can tell, this one looks to be a young female Rufous Hummingbird.

My sisters tease me because I seem to attract our resident hummingbirds while I'm outside.  They often remark that the little hummers probably have a crush on me - whatever.  What's with my sisters anyway?

Caretakers of creation

Celebrating Creation & Holy Week with all sorts of outreach!

Although we couldn't attend all the events we were invited to (sorry, folks, perhaps next year!)  due to conflict of schedules with Holy Week, we still did have a jam packed week!!!

In Pasadena, there was a  "Harvest Homesteaders" canning class, now going on three years in a row.    Jordanne and  I agreed that these girls were the best yet.   All the jam made that morning will be donated to a local food bank.  Great job girls!

Next, Jordanne and Farmer D headed off to another school where they were guests at a school assembly (where our two bantie chickens made appearances).

After watching our film Homegrown Revolution,  all the kids were chanting "Blackberry, Blackberry, Blackberry!"   Farmer D spoke to the kids about the importance of "food miles."  The students  were all eyes and ears!

Then we were  off on a small road trip where our family was the  special honorary guest, once again, of the wonderful community of Palm Springs.   We had to leave Justin behind.  Well, actually, he REALLY wanted to stay home because, just as we were about to leave, I spotted a pretty decent swarm going into one of Justin’s traps (more about the free-bees later!)

After the screening of our award winning film and Q & A session, a local organic dinner was served - pretty neat to see a dish of nopales (cactus).    A BIG thank you to Leslie, Ward,Geraldine & Yolanda for their extraordinary hard work and warm hospitality in Palm Springs and to local teacher Lauren and administrator Jill for some great interaction with kids.

The weather was pretty wild in Palm Springs - it WAS REALLY windy!   "White caps" were spotted in the pool of the spa where we stayed.

The drive was LOVELY.  Usually on road trips, I dose off; but Southern California is gorgeous this time of year, the hills green and gold with wild mustard.  And, last, but not least, on the way home we stopped  in Corona to see our favorite farm and farmer to pick up some wonderful farm bounty.

I sure wished I could have enjoyed the trip and outings more.  But earlier  that day, I reached up and something "popped" (shudder) and I had back/shoulder pain the whole time.  Man,  it hurt so badly I could hardly lift my arm to give out HUGS (they ended more like awkward chest bumps!)

Once home, I put a hot water bottle on my back and after a good night's sleep, my shoulder is MUCH better.  Ahhhh.   Sure glad it’s better. I was worried there for a bit,  knowing I had a arms length of “heavy duty” chores waiting when I got back.

Hope everyone had a blessed and meaningful Holy Week.

Cutting up local organic strawberries purchased from farmer's market

Mashing!

Filling up the jars

Putting on the tops

Morning assembly

Educating about food miles

What's in the box?

A BIG squash!

Estella shows off

Desert Hot Springs

Introducing the film to eco particpants

This guy had a pretty cool wind mill - I want one!

Ahhh, paradise.

The portion of the post is "sponsored" by the fictitious product "Powdermilk Biscuits" "Made from whole wheat raised in the rich bottomlands of the Lake Wobegon river valley by Norwegian bachelor farmers” --Garrison Keillor

The other day, a regular customer to our Front Porch Farm Stand got to talking about raw milk – how expensive it is for a family with kids.   Of course, the conversation turned to how I grew up on raw goat's milk and how our dietary habits have changed over the years.

She wondered what we drank.  I said that we really don’t drink milk at all. Our family has never been big on drinking milk. But when we use milk, we found a way to stretch it.

Stretch Your Stores

I remember my grandmother mixing  powdered milk into regular whole milk as a way of making the milk go further.  She used the instant dry milk and, back then, that did help to make the price of milk more economical.

We rarely use whole milk, but use (Organic) Non-Instant Powdered Milk in our coffee and when baking.  I like to mix up a enough powered milk in a quart canning jar and store it in the fridge for a week's worth of use.

Powdered milk is a very good source of protein and we use the non instant (and, thus, more expensive) kind for more nutritional value.  We find that having fresh milk around when we don't drink or even use that much tends to be a waste as it will spoil.  Having powdered milk around solves the dilemma for us.

Here are some ideas for using Dry Milk:

1. Add to pancakes.
2. Mix in muffin batter.
3. Add to scrambled eggs before cooking.
4. Mix in biscuits.
5. Mix dry milk ahead and refrigerate for drinking.
6. Cook hot cereal in dry milk.
7. Prepare hot chocolate.
8. Make Rice Pudding.
9. Make easy vanilla pudding.
10. Make cold chocolate milk.
11. Make the night before to pour over breakfast cereal.
12. Whiz a milk shake.
13. Prepare macaroni and cheese.
14. Make cream of potato soup.
15. Mix in bread dough.
16. Mix in casseroles.
17. Mix in cornbread.
18. Use in cake batter.
19. Add extra dry milk powder for added protein and calcium.
20. Add two tablespoons to fortify liquid meals with more protein and calcium.
21. Add to mashed potatoes.
22. Make into buttermilk.
23. Add to hot drinks instead of creamer.
24. Use in cookie recipes.
25. Take on trips to use for breakfast cereal.
26. Take camping.
27. Take backpacking.
28. Add to master mix for baked products.
29. Make a cream sauce for pasta.
30. Reconstitute and add to regular milk to reduce cost.
31. Make potato soup.
32. Make evaporated milk: one cup dry milk mixed with 2/3 cup water is the equivalent of 1 can of evaporated skim milk.

List Courtesy of BePrepared2Day

:: Resources ::

Dry Milk No Longer A Frugal Alternative

Powder Milk Biscuits

Recipes Using Powdered Milk via Recipe Chic

and last but not least!

This recent article stresses the importance of how we all should start taking gardening seriously.    Growing your own food in the city: it’s a challenge but a good one - an a very important on too!

Garden As If Your Life Depended On It, Because It Will - Alternet

There are at least five reasons why more of us should take up spade, rake and hoe, make compost and raise good soil and garden beds with a vengeance, starting this spring and with an eye toward forever.

READ MORE

It's officially Spring and what a rocky start  weather wise.   We spiked into the 90’s for a few days and then dipped back under 60 with gray skies  and drizzle.  Crazy!

Busy, busy, busy - bees, biodiesel, soil blocks, picking, packing, watering, planting, building, etc. Where does the time go?  Not complaining; it’s good to have longer days to work on the farm here in the city.

Sis handed me a “to plant list” of things she needs for her home canning operation.    She makes a mean jalapeno jelly and wanted to make sure that I didn’t forget to plant them!

Squash, tomatoes, peppers and beans are all up and ready to transplant into the garden.   The new strawberry starts are filling in nicely. We are expecting to harvest berries in early June and the potatoes are just about ready to be dug up.  I know I’ve been looking forward to homegrown potatoes – they are way better tasting than the store.

The small invasion of aphids is now under control, sweet!  We spotted a couple ladybugs and have already noticed a huge difference on the chard and kales.    Thanks to the exceptionally warm weather last week, the greens seem to have grown a few feet (ok, inches) overnight.  We are now offering a slew of assorted greens at the front porch farm stand.  Sis is manager and CEO ("chief" for short) of the front porch farm stand and she’ll be posting more of what the stand has to offer.   It’s a wonderful feeling to feed the family and be able to offer the surplus produce to folks who are wanting to eat closer to home.

The hennery is cranking out eggs – yeah!

Last week, I helped a friend who manages a few urban bees divide a few hives for spring expansion.  Of course, we had to suit up on the HOTTEST day of the year (so far).   It was sweltering!  Hive work waits for no man, so we both suited up.  Long pants (I HATE long pants), long sleeve shirts and were sweating buckets just after a few minutes work.   I got some delicious honey comb in trade for a couple of hours work. What a treat and worth the (sweaty) effort!

The rescued hive is still here, bees going to and fro. It’s a wonderful site to see bees working the citrus.

March Harvest Tally

252 lbs Produce

Eggs      Chicken 91   Duck 160

2011 Tally to Date

663 lbs Produce

Eggs      Chicken 117   Duck 345

Chopping up the pickles!

Quite colorful and tasty too

Anticipating the time in the future of adding some fish into our diet (see ETHICAL EATING),  we have been adding more tuna to the menu.

Since turning vegetarian in the early 90s, we’ve occasionally eaten fish.  So fish we is what we are  used to,  but it’s been awhile since we went fishing!  Actually, on our 10 acre homestead in Florida, we had a fresh water pond filled with bass.  I used to fish "Huckleberry Finn" style with a simple pole.  Sometimes, I got lucky!    Grandpa loved to fish and  he would take us kids with him on his fishing trips to Tampa Bay.    And Grandma would make a mean snapper dish that was famous far and wide.

We aren't fishing any time soon.   Canned tuna is cheap, so we figured we’d start with that.  We bought a couple cans of "dolphin safe"  from Trader Joes. I know there's probably a better (fresh)  fish selection at Whole Foods (or 'Whole Paycheck' as one of our friend likes to call it) but we've committed not to shop at Whole Foods since it  admitted to selling GMO's

Recently,  I decided I should make an easy peasy tuna pasta salad.  But, of course, my habit is tweaking recipes to fit what we have in our home canned pantry stock.

Opening up the cupboards,  I find sweet zucchini pickles and dilly carrots.   Hmmm, this could work!

PASTA TUNA SALAD
© 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

1 1/2 c. sm. pasta
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas, thawed  (substituted a two handfuls of homegrown celery)
1 1/2 c. chopped carrots  (substituted chopped dilly carrots & sweet zucchini pickles)
1/4 c. finely chopped onion  (substituted homegrown green onions)
2/3 c. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dill weed   (too early for fresh dill in the garden yet, substituted fennel)
1 tsp. salt  (I used 'celery salt')
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 sm. can tuna

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well. Cool (rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well). Thaw peas completely; drain well. Combine cooled pasta, peas, carrots, onion and tuna in a large bowl; mix well. Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, dill weed, salt and pepper in a small bowl; blend well. Pour mayonnaise dressing over macaroni mixture; toss lightly. Chill. Garnish with paprika and serve on lettuce leaves if desired.

Happy to say, everyone enjoyed it!  Even Jordanne, who's not too keen on tuna.

Almost 5 inches of rain fell this weekend!   With Pasadena under a 10 day imposed water restriction (remember to turn off those sprinklers!) the rain couldn't have come at a better time.  Ground is soaked, garden is deeply watered and barrels are full.   What a blessing to have such wonderful rain to start off the spring growing season.  And there's more rain to come!

Speaking of blessings, we do indeed have a lot  for which we are grateful.   This month, many of our friends have come to us with devastating and heartbreaking news.  News that really puts life into a proper perspective, making our own problems seem rather petty.   Our prayers go out to you and your families.  May you find the strength and wisdom to walk a new journey.

Our inbox is overflowing and we are trying to get back everyone as quickly as we can.  A few emails came over the weekend inquiring about seeds, so  I'll answer it here.   Yes, we do sell seeds.   A selection of seeds that we are planting this spring are available at our online store UrbanHomesteadSupply.com

Now, now for some pictures to herald another growing season.  Ya'll ready to dig in?

Cabbage heads

Garlic in clay pot irrigated pots

Kitchen garden bed

Potatoes

Mints

Bee traps... hoping to catch a wild swarm

Blood oranges

Intoxicating citrus blooms

Salad greens galore

"Any more room up here?"

Blueberries

Edible landscaping in the front yard

Saving water in the garden with ollas (clay pot irrigation)

Wildflowers

Flowering lilac

Little fish, big fish swimming in the water

Still using up the homegrown/canned stockpile

Kitty kisses

Mixed greens

Using up the winter squash

]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2011/03/21/spring-glorious-spring/feed/ 13 http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2011/03/18/rain-radiation-restrictions/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2011/03/18/rain-radiation-restrictions/#comments Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:56:54 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=24729

Appreciate everyone's emails and letters of concern over the  possible arrival of  a radiation cloud that is "reportedly" coming our way.   For what it's worth, here's what the UN Weather Forecast has to say.

A storm is coming;  but, with the radioactivity, we are  not sure if rain is a good thing, However, we can't really do anything about it.  But, just in case, we are increasing our kelp intake  and putting extra kelp in the animal feed.

Barbara Brennan writes in her classic Light Emerging, “If you are having any kind of radiation treatments, consider going macrobiotic. According to Michio and Aveline Kushi, macrobiotics is very effective in curing radiation sickness. In his book Macrobiotic Diet, Michio Kushi states: ‘At the time of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945, Tatsuichiro Akizuki, M.D., was director of the Department of Internal Medicine at St. Francis Hospital in Nagasaki. Most patients in the hospital, located one mile from the center of the blast, survived the initial effects of the bomb, but soon after came down with symptoms of radiation sickness from the radioactivity that had been released. Dr. Akizuki fed his staff and patients a strict macrobiotic diet of brown rice, miso* and tamari soy sauce soup, wakame and other sea vegetables , Hokkaido pumpkin, and sea salt and prohibited the consumption of sugar and sweets. As a result, he saved everyone in his hospital, while many other survivors in the city perished from radiation sickness.’”  -  Read full article at Combatting Radiation Poisoning

There is certainly a fine line between facts and fear, truth and rumors.  Our government  says there is no cause for alarm and reassured us that we have nothing to worry about.   OK, fine.  If increased dosages of kelp isn't "necessary," our bodies will still benefit from taking this "miracle plant."

Speaking of rain, we are sure going to need it because the City of Pasadena has declared a Level 4 Water Shortage Emergency.   As a result, it has issued a 10-Day Ban on Outdoor Watering, March 18-27.   Edible gardens and nurseries will be exempt and even, get this, golf courses.  Yeah, seriously!

With our exemption to the outdoor watering ban,  we are going to take full advantage  and step up our water harvesting and conservation efforts.

Ollas - since we starting using the clay pot irrigation method over 5 years ago, we've cut our water usage by 1/2

Grey water - reclaiming used water to irrigate fruit trees

Water conservation - is the best (and cheapest) way to save water

Metal roof installation (safe for collecting rain for drinking water).  Although we have installed the right metal roof,  we have yet to install gutters to collect the rainwater.  Since southern California is so dry, we have postponed the completion.  However, that may soon change!

(FYI: If worse ever comes to worse, as, for example, an earthquake and we do run out of water, we know a place to go in the mountains to collect fresh water to filter into safe drinking water. I guess that is as natural and green as one can get! But, hush, don't tell anyone our little secret!)

Looking back on our goals from last year Justin (Jethro) got his fish project underway,  the grey water project too.

Jordanne (Ellie Mae) revamped our two social networks, Freedom Gardens and launched Backyards & Barnyards and did get around to organizing a lot of mess.  Not to forget the launced her super amazing Natural Poultry Supplement Mix which is receiving rave reviews!

As for me (Granny),  the mountain of fabric and yarn still looms like a huge shadow but the craft-music room is coming along nicely.  Not sure if I am talking less and listening more – guess I’ll have to ask my family & friends that.

The 7K bonanza harvest wasn't the only highlight from 2010

We went back to Wild & Scenic located in the quaint mountain town of Nevada City and had a chance to meet our favorite author, John Robbins.  Had a workshop at the Eco Farm conference in lovely grounds Asilomar (didn't get to spend as much time on the beach as we'd like since it was soooo cold and rainy!).   Not to mention numerous articles and video pieces which all were featured here on the blog – our favorite being the recent So Cal Connect piece , I am Los Angeles , Private Chefs of Beverly Hills,  Sis and I were "Cover Girls" & with an article featured in this online magazine and I wrote about my home school experience for another

Our home made film "Homegrown Revolution" won  many awards including : Best Environment & Ecology Film North America - Swansea International Film Festival, U.K.; Prize of the Mayor of the Capitol City of Slovakia - Ekotop Film Festival of Sustainable Development, Slovakia; Best Short Documentary - Southern Appalachian International Film Festival, Tennessee; Honorable Mention: Westpac Award Best Short Film - Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival, New Zealand.  (You can purchase a DVD copy)

We traveled to back to the homestead in New Zealand where I was born (more pics and tales to come) and with our biggest turn out ever to a presentation on urban homesteading!

After the New Zealand trip: Other outreach opportunities included four university appearances by "Farmer D" and a presentation for a public school district's student gardens fundraiser.

On the urban  homestead

Keeping it real.  As with any journey, we had our ups and downs.

Passing of dear old Clementine (the poster chicken & darling of the UH movement) and our duck Amy after freak accident which never fully recovered from.

The cycle of life continued, Though there were sad deaths there was new life with four additions to our flock.  Our southern belles  - Annalee, Lulu Belle, Beulah and Opal.

Pushing the envelope in urban sustainability we added new projects:  hops for beer and 50 tilapia for aquaponics fish farming and wrote about the challenges that we face of growing food in the city.

Wrote about necessary Urban Homestead apparel and "Natural Beauty, "  "Homesteader Hygiene", & Living Without AC,  Washing Clothes by Hand & threw an amazing  "Girlie" Tea Party under $50!

Long time customer, Elements, who featured our many of our homegrown items on his menu unceremoniously dumped us (having money issues)   When one door closed, it opened up our produce to the public with the launch of the Front Porch Farm Stand featuring local foods and goods.

Weather continued to be a problem with a record heat wave in October & record rainfall in December

Though we had one of our best honey harvest in years, Varroa Mites (and early cold weather) wiped out all of our of beehives except one.

I dropped the ball on the Weekly Meal wrap ups (sorry readers) posts but I picked up guitar which I am enjoying relearning – well, except for the sore finger tips.   Ouch!

There you have it!  Some of the highlights of 2010,  I know I just touched the tip of the ice berg otherwise I’d be here all day.

So what our plans/goals for 2011?   That’s certainly a good question and a lot to digest ….  we do know are going to have sadly terminate some projects because of the lack of support.   It’s a bitter pill to swallow put sometimes you got to cut things that are weighing you down.  I’m talking to myself here… have to keep saying that!

Also like to thank all of you readers who have supported us via donations or purchases from our online store.    Not to mention all the wonderful letters, cards and emails.   THANK YOU!

While I try to shake off a awful case writers block, if you are new or a lurker to this blog, this is a good time to swap howdies or better yet TELL US what your FAVORITE post(s) of 2010 were!

So pull up a chair and give us a holler ya hear and hope 2011 is off to a good start for you!

First jam session in the newly restored room

Before the seed there comes the thought of bloom.
- E. B. White

Such is the lesson of the middle bedroom.

Twenty-five years ago when we purchased this old 1917 (fixer upper) house it came with lots, I mean - LOTS,  of problems. Problems that we didn’t have the money at the time to fix. One of “the problems” old asphalt roof that leaked and did  some serious water damage to the middle bedroom.

It wasn't until 2006-2007 that we finally had the time and money to put on a new (metal) roof.  You can read about the roof saga here, here,  here, here ,here and here -- this last post is worth reading because it talks about who we are and where we are because of choices made

Until then, we lived with a blue tarp covering the whole left side of the house. Of course, not only did we live with a blue tarped roof, we also lived with the unsightly middle room. That room was certainly an eyesore and a disorganized mess ( thanks to friends always giving us books, yarn and fabric) The middle bedroom became like a storage unit serving no real purpose but to store “stuff.”  That room left us fit to be tied.

We all knew this room needed some serious help, but Jordanne was the one who kept the most faith of us both. Faith that one day we’d find the time to fix it up. Year after year, she would go into that black hole of a room and whip that mess into shape – boy, did it give her grief! Slowly and oh, how slowly, the mess was sorted out into a decent order.

Me, well, I have to admit I oftentimes throw up my hands in despair.  The room was a disaster! So much stuff, no place to put it and, oh, that horribly  huge water mark and peeling paint – yuck!   It was a room that we didn't like friends to see, but then again why should folks judge you from appearances?   This was definitely a room that tried tested character.   In fact, the whole house and yard is a testament to hard work and the DIY spirit.

Overtime, we were lucky to get some second hand furniture and even a sewing machine so we put it in the room with plans on one day transforming it to a multi purpose craft/music/library den

A lesson in all this: It sometimes takes years to see a vision fulfilled. After the seed is planted, it takes time to bear fruit. It doesn't happen overnight. And it takes faith that it will produce after all.

Just as 2010 was coming to a close,  the time had come for the eyesore to be transformed.  With not much work to be done in the garden, Justin got on board which really helped us gals.  Couldn't have done it without his help.  Thanks buddy!

After over a decade, within a few days, the room has had its cracks filled, peeling paint scraped and a new coat of paint.

Like kids in a candy shop, we are bugged eyed with creative ideas.   Like to use the room for knitting gatherings and now we (and others) can easily access our library of books so perhaps we can have reading or lending thing going. Lots of ideas/plans that's for sure.

There's still lots of organizing to do - yarns, fabrics and sewing notions.  Not to mention need to scrap up the hideous linoleum because there's beautiful wood floors underneath - just takes some time and lots of elbow grease!

So as I sit on the sofa knitting a few rounds on a prayer blanket for a friend with the soft afternoon sun glowing across the freshly painted walls, I remind myself that it can take a couple days to transform a room but character is built over a lifetime.

Definitely a real life lesson in patience, perseverance and faith.

Water damage that happened many years ago

Cracks and peeling paint

After scraping the walls, on goes the primer

Furniture gets pushed into the middle of the room

First coat of paint

Done but still lots of organizing to do.

Second hand desk, chair, lamp and sewing machine

Sofa was free, found on the side of the road.

Table, mirror and vase second hand. Nice and cozy

Living in Southern California, there's not really much down time for us homesteaders-farmers.  Only one more month left in 2010 and already projects and plans are being hatched for 2011.

Jordanne & I are working on the middle bed room/turned craft room.  Trying to get a grip on organization and such (folks are always giving us fabrics and yarn... and books!).  Like to turn it into a music room too.

The other day we had another evening of music.  Sure wish I had taken pictures!  It was quite the quaint scene with two girls in the kitchen strumming away on banjo and guitar while apple butter bubbled on the stove top.  Oh, and not to mention chocolate cake!

Now that the whole backyard garden is protected in floating row cover the farming chores turn to pruning the fruit trees, finding places for some "homeless" edibles along with cleaning up dead underbrush and fallen leaves (turning that into next year's soil)

In the barnyard, we are looking forward to adding to our chicken flock next spring.   The hardest part is which heritage breed to choose.    Chooks are like cookies, you can't have just ONE!  We LIKE them all but, alas, can't happen.  Should we get more Belgian banties or cochins?  What about some Barred Rocks, Wyndottes or Orphington.   Jeez, we are going to have to pick - eeny, meeny, miney moe!

The feral bee hive we saved from the Arroyo Seco is thriving and feasting on the flowering perennial basil, avocado and citrus.

We are pretty excited about the harvest totals this year.   Goes to show you that small spaces can be productive (and beautiful) if you grow the soil first!  I'm even amazed that after 10 years of intensive growing efforts continues to put out such high yields.  Sorta reminds me of the widow and the olive oil Bible story.    The earth gives back blessings with faith and hard work.

Here's another round of snapshots from the urban homestead - enjoy!

Kumquats, can't wait till these babies ripen!

Micro greens

Broccoli

Watercress growing in hanging basket aquaponics system

Snow peas and blue skies

Estella who acts more like Charlie Chaplin

Can we join you up there?

Sleeping duck

Enjoying the morning sunshine

Rinsing clothes

Hung out to dry (yep, those be bloomers)

Nothing like the smell of sun dried laundry on a winter's day